Look what I found.....

[JC]

Found this in one of the shopping centres in Dartford today. My first thought was that it was a reproduction - what a great idea, bet it's fibreglass. On closer examination, I found that it was actually cast metal, although not having a magnet with me, couldn't ascertain whether cast iron or aluminium. Had it been cast iron I would have been sufficiently convinced it was original.
Still leaning towards repro., I started to wonder whether it was indeed original when I inspected the locks, which were traditional mortice locks - I would have expected a modern repro. machine to have cam locks.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, and after very little research, I've found that it is indeed an original Salter scale repatriated from Australia. I have to say that the dial seriously spoils it, being calibrated in kgs (whatever they are). I also wonder just how much it will earn at £1 a go .

http://balancetechnology.co.uk/victorian_scales.html

[ddstoys]

Yes beautiful machines and the digital glass dials are far better.
There are still many of these originals in operation around Victoria (Australia)

[pennymachines]

There was one of these in the recent Morphy auction - lot 324

1D Australasian Automatic Weighing Machine Co. Scale.

Ornate cast iron scale that operates with Australian or British one cent coins. The large dial touts "All British Manufacture" and the weight increments are detailed in pounds and stones, where each stone measures 14lbs. Circa early 1900s. With three keys.

[gameswat]

I just realised that the Morphy auction scale was once mine! Restored this in 2004 and sold to a friend in California for a lot more than it realised at auction. Plus he air freighted it over from Perth!! The original glass face was long gone from this and another example I also restored at the time. But I was very lucky to obtain two of them from Bob Klepner who saved them from the Victorian operators rubbish pile. Incidentally very few people know that these glasses were designed to be back lit like a pinball glass, but only using ambient light from above. When found one of mine had a steel sheet in place of the glass but the other was just heavily painted over. The glasses have acid etched numerals on the front with inset enamel, then the rest of the lettering and design is enamelled onto the glass front, while the rear is enamelled with either white or pale green translucent. Originally I'd antiqued the silver paint on both these scales but as my friend left his outside the last 12 years the aging wore off. Looked like this other example which has a green face glass.

[pennymachines]

I love the ambient backlighting - what a nice touch!